Cold Case Files

On Nov. 19, 1973, the skeletal remains of a woman were discovered a half-mile north of the St. Vrain River Bridge on Colo. 66. The woman had been dead for several months. She has never been identified.  

Marjorie “Margie” Fithian was last seen by her uncle, who on June 24, 1975, dropped her off at a bus depot in downtown Denver. She was going to catch a bus back to Greeley with her 18-month-old son.

Fithian's body was discovered later that same day on the side of a dirt road in rural Weld County, near Roggen. She was shot to death before her body and her son were dumped on the side of the road. Her son, who was unharmed, was found on the side of the road with his mother, holding her hand.

Witnesses said a light yellow or tan midsized two door car was in the area about the time investigators think Fithian's body was dumped.

There are several persons of interest in the case.

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office announced in March 2021 it arrested a Wichita man for the 1979 murder of Evans resident Evelyn Kay Day.

James Herman Dye, 64, is charged in Weld District Court with one count of murder in the first degree. He was arrested Monday by Weld County Sheriff’s Office detectives at his Wichita home with the assistance of the Wichita Police Department and the FBI.

Kay Day was 29 years old when she went missing in late November 1979. She was a business lab monitor working nights at Aims Community College, 5401 W. 20th St. in Greeley. She was last seen by a student about 10 p.m. Nov. 26, 1979, as Day was locking up the lab for the night.

The next morning, Day’s husband, Stanley Charles “Chuck” Day, realized his wife never returned home from work. He filed a missing person report with the Evans Police Department and informed Day’s colleagues at Aims that she was missing.

About 5:30 p.m. that day, Nov. 27, 1979, two of Day’s coworkers located her red 1977 Datsun station wagon parked on the eastbound shoulder in the 5700 block of West 20th Street. The two coworkers parked behind Day’s vehicle and found her body inside. One of the coworkers ran to the nearby Family Sports Center, 5701 W. 20th St., and called 911.

The subsequent investigation revealed Day had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled to death with the cloth belt of her own overcoat. Investigators at the time were able to secure several pieces of evidence, including the killer’s DNA.

About this time last year, Weld County Sheriff’s Office Det. Byron Kastilahn was assigned as the agency’s cold case investigator. Kastilahn’s transition marked the first time in the agency’s history the Investigation’s Unit had a dedicated cold case detective.

Kastilahn identified 10 priority cases for immediate investigation, including Day’s unsolved homicide. On May 1, 2020, Kastilahn contacted the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and asked to have the DNA profile collected in November 1979 compared to the millions of profiles in the national Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS. On Aug. 26, 2020, Kastilahn received a report stating the DNA evidence collected more than 40 years ago matched a profile belonging to James Herman Dye, a convicted felon with lengthy criminal histories in Colorado and Kansas.

During the following months, Kastilahn dedicated his time to reviewing old case notes and reinterviewing family members and other persons of interest in the case. Last October, Kastilahn submitted an order to Aims Community College to produce certain records. He learned Dye, who would have been in his early 20s at the time, was a student enrolled in automotive classes in the summer and fall of 1979, the winter of 1980 and the summer of 1982.

Of note, Dye was enrolled in a steering and suspension system class in the fall of 1979. The class was taught in the Trades and Industry building, which was directly north of the Business building where Day worked.

Dye’s criminal history in Colorado includes an arrest on Oct. 5, 1977, by the Weld County Sheriff’s Office for second-degree sexual assault, a Feb. 5, 1981, arrest for sexual assault on a child, an attempted sexual assault on May 7, 1981, a third-degree assault arrest in 1982 and another sexual assault on a child arrest on March 30, 1987. Similar modus operandi exists between the Day case in 1979 and the second-degree sexual assault case from Oct. 5, 1977.

Dye is currently incarcerated in the Sedgwick County Jail in Wichita awaiting extradition.

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office continues to seek information in this case. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Det. Byron Kastilahn at (970) 400-2827.

Tips can also be submitted to Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit the Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers Facebook page. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward. 

About noon on Oct. 25, 1979, a body was found two miles east of Hudson on Weld County Road 49 alongside the Interstate 76 Frontage Road. The body was later identified as 19-year-old Sheila “Cricket” Birl of Kansas City, Mo.

Birl’s body contained no serious external injuries. The Weld County Coroner's final report indicated the cause of death was from a drug overdose. However, the circumstances around her death were suspicious enough to believe foul play was involved.

The victim was a well-known prostitute in Kansas City. She was last seen alive on East Colfax Avenue in Denver the night before her body was discovered in Weld County. According to rumors, Birl traveled to Colorado because she owed a large amount of money to a narcotics dealer back in Kansas City.

A suspicious vehicle was reported near the area where Birl’s body was discovered. The physical evidence left at the scene of the crime included clothing that the victim was wearing and some trash. There are more than 100 people of interest attached to the case and about half of them have extensive criminal histories.

Yvonne Rabb's body was found on Nov. 15, 1981, in a ditch near Weld County roads 8 and 11, near Dacono. Rabb was a prostitute in the Five Points neighborhood in Denver. She was last seen Nov. 14, 1981, walking into an alley in the Five Points area, near Big Al's Bar, with people who would later be suspected in her death. One witness reportedly heard a gunshot in alley. She was also known as Yvonne, Robb, Yvonne Rapp, Diane Thompson and “Buddy." The homicide is possibly tied to a narcotics transaction gone wrong.

On Oct. 23, 1983, Alex Casimiro Morado was hanging out with some people at Bruce's Bar in Severance. After the group left, an argument occurred on Weld County Road 74, five miles east of Eaton. Morado's body was found two days later in an irrigation ditch at Weld County roads 74 and 27, near Severance. He was stabbed to death. Benedicto Samuel Carrion (Jan. 4, 1945) is the primary suspect.

On Oct. 23, 1984, Robert Moody was found dead from a gunshot wound inside his house at Weld County Road 52 and U.S. 85, near LaSalle. There was family turmoil leading up to the discovery of his body and suicide has not been ruled out as a possible manner of death.

Denise Davenport was a student at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. She was reported as a missing person to the Greeley Police Department. Davenport was last seen on Feb. 24, 1985, when she left work at the Greeley Mall. She was wearing a bright pink two-piece suit, with a white blouse and black pumps.

The car Davenport was driving, her boyfriend's blue Mazda RX-7, was discovered a few days later in a student dormitory parking lot. Her body was discovered April 20, 1985, in the South Platte River between 18th Street and U.S. 34, near Greeley. The cause and manner of her death was undetermined, but foul play is suspected. Her death is being investigated as a homicide. Several suspects have been identified.

Gerald Drieling was found Aug. 27, 1986, shot to death inside his home at Weld County roads 10 and 23, southwest of Fort Lupton. It is believed he interrupted a daytime burglary at his home. Several persons of interest were identified.

On Sept. 23, 1986, Mario Mendoza’s body was found floating in the Fulton Irrigation Ditch #2 at Weld County roads 4 and 27, near Brighton. Mendoza had been beaten to death. It is believed he was placed in the ditch in Adams County and floated to the location of his discovery.

At 1:30 p.m. on June 12, 1988, a body was discovered at Weld County Road 8 and the Interstate 25 West Frontage Road near Dacono. Two days later, the body was identified as 22-yer-old Robin Nelson.

Nelson, who lived in the 1400 block of Adams Street in Denver, was last seen alive about 12:30 a.m. on June 7, 1988, when she left her child at a friend's house to go work as a prostitute on Colfax Avenue. A child abandonment case was filed three days later with the Denver Police Department after Nelson failed to return for her child.

A resident near Weld 8 and I-25 reported to deputies her dog was barking at someone in the area around 11:30 p.m. on June 10, 1988, which is consistent with the time of death and the possible time her body was dumped on the side of the road.

Although it’s believed Nelson died of a drug overdose, the Weld County Coroner was unable to determine an official cause or manner of death. Nelson was an acquaintance of Tammy Lynn Cheeks, of Denver (see cold case entry below). Several suspects were identified.

Tracey was a witness set to testify against defendants in the arson of a night club in Colorado Springs. The El Paso County District Attorney’s Office had developed Tracey as a confidential informant and her information led to charges against multiple suspects, including child prostitution. On July 9, 1989, shortly before the trial was set to begin, Tracey was found murdered.  

Valerie Meeks was a prostitute known for working Colfax Avenue in Denver. On July 17, 1991, her body was found in a field near Weld County roads 4 and 5, near Erie. She was reported as a missing person on July 3, 1991, out of Aurora. Suspects were identified.

On Nov. 14, 1992, Tammy Cheeks' body was found by hunters in a concrete irrigation ditch at Weld County roads 20 and 51, near Hudson. She was a prostitute working Colfax Avenue in Denver. She used the aliases of Tammy Cloathes, Tammy Mason and Gloria Fowler. Her alias date of birth is Dec. 9, 1959. The cause and manner of death was never determined.

On August 12, 1995, the sheriff's office was notified about a skeletonized body that was discovered buried in a shallow clandestine grave at Weld County roads 8 and 31, near Fort Lupton. The skeleton was that of an adult man, with a mixed race of white and Native-American.

The man was fully clothed and had most likely been dead since at least July 1994. His pants were size 29 X 32. His shirt size was 34 X 36. He was right handed.

The unidentified man died of gunshot wounds and/or stab wounds.

Sheryl Parker lived and worked in Larimer County, where she was a payroll employee. Parker’s body was discovered July 26, 1996, in the St. Vrain River.

Parker died from blunt force trauma. She was last seen alive at the Budget Host Motel in Del Camino. Her car was located found in the motel parking lot. Her husband, Glenn Parker, is the primary suspect.

James Vooris was beaten to death on Nov. 21, 1996, in a motel room at the Super 8 Motel in Del Camino, located off of Interstate 25 and Colo. 119. Several leads and potential suspects were developed. The homicide is believed to be drug-related.

On July 31, 1997, Susanne Pierce was reported missing. There are no known suspects or motives. 

In October 2005, Weld County Sheriff's Office investigators were notified by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation that a homicide victim from seven years earlier had been identified as Ruben Ortiz-Gutierrez, 30, of Denver. The case originated on May 16, 1998, when Ortiz-Gutierrez's body was found in a dry irrigation ditch just northeast of Del Camino.

Brooklyn was a 22-month-old girl who died Jan. 22, 2000, at her home in Evanston. Her mother’s boyfriend of one year was babysitting Brooklyn when deputies responded to the home on a report of an infant who was not breathing. The boyfriend claimed Brooklyn fell off the bed when he left the room and a short time later he discovered she wasn't breathing. The cause of death was undetermined and foul play is suspected.

On February 14, 2000, a Weld County Resident discovered the skeletal remains of a man in the river bank of the Cache La Poudre River, east of Greeley. The victim is approximately 5 feet, 4 inches tall. The cause of death was undetermined.

On Dec. 19, 2000, Craig Mayo was found dead at his home on Weld County Road 18. Foul play is suspected. 

Baby John Doe was found deceased in September 2002 outside of L&M Auto Repair in Brighton. Employees were just arriving at work that morning when a staff member spotted something under a bush.

The newborn had been wrapped in a blue blanket with the words “Skate Bear” and a corresponding graphic. There were no other clues left at the scene indicating anything about the newborn or the circumstances of his death.

Investigators described the baby as having dark hair. Ancestry was estimated to be potentially white, Latino and/or Italian. The newborn weighed about 7 pounds and was 21 inches long at his time of death.

Pathologists determined the infant had been born healthy between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. the prior evening, but they were unable to definitively establish a cause of death. Investigators pursued all available investigative leads and tips at the time but were unable to identify Baby John Doe and the case went cold.

The investigation continues as Othram begins to build a comprehensive genealogical profile for the newborn, which costs $5,000. The Weld County Sheriff’s Office has contributed funds to cover a portion of the costs of DNA testing and genealogical research. A DNASolves.com crowdfunding account has been created to raise funds for the remaining casework costs.

To donate, visit DNASolves.com/articles/weld_baby_doe.

Anyone with information about Baby John Doe is encouraged to contact Cold Case Det. Byron Kastilahn at (970) 356-4015. Reference case number WC02-4535. The case also is logged in NamUs as UP10386. 

On June 4, 2003, Margarette was found dead in an irrigation ditch near Weld County roads 90 and 43 east of Pierce.  

Daniel Larson was from Illinois. He had been living in the Loveland area for about five years. Larson was living out of his gray 1990 Pontiac 6000. His family began looking for him in late December 2004 after they lost contact with him. His vehicle was discovered at the Park & Ride at Interstate 25 and U.S. 34. There was evidence of foul play in the vehicle. His body was discovered on Jan. 13, 2004, by hunters in a field north of Kersey. Before his death, Larson told his ex-wife he was meeting with members of the Mexican Mafia.

On Feb. 4, 2011, Adrian found dead under a bridge at Weld County roads 4 and 53 east of Lochbuie. The cause of death was blunt force trauma. This case appears to be drug related.

On July 8, 2011, Armando called his roommate and later his girlfriend asking them to sell his truck. An unknown man was holding Armando as ransom. When the man didn’t get paid, Armando was murdered. His body was found the next day a half-mile east of Interstate 76 at mile marker 27 south of Hudson.

Joseph was found dead wrapped in a tarp on May 16, 2012, near the Interstate 76 Frontage Road and Weld County Road 12.5. Foul play is suspected. 

Nicole was last seen in 2014 in Longmont. She was initially reported as a runaway by her mother. There is no apparent motive for foul play in her disappearance. However, with the amount of time she has been missing, foul play is suspected. There is no suspect information.

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office is happy to announce this cold case has been solved using advanced forensic techniques!

On December 7, 2018, the Weld County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) was dispatched to an area in unincorporated Weld County, Colorado, west of Ft. Lupton on a report of human remains that were found while a crew was surveying the land. Upon arrival, deputies were led to the remains which consisted of a skull, bones, some clothes, a backpack, and other miscellaneous items. The remains appeared to have been there for a long period of time. The case was turned over to WCSO Investigations to identify the remains. 

On July 23, 2020, a press release was issued including photographs of personal items found with the skeletal remains along with an artistic reconstruction of his face.

On March 26, 2021, the Sheriff’s Office submitted portions of the remains to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). CBI obtained DNA from the remains. The DNA was then sent to Parabon NanoLabs for forensic genetic genealogy.

On November 22, 2022, the Sheriff’s Office received a report from Parabon NanoLabs that identified the remains as possibly being Douglas Wayne Jackson, a missing person from Aurora, Colorado. WCSO Detectives contacted Mr. Jackson’s sister and were able to compare her DNA with his. The results confirmed Mr. Jackson’s identity. This case was initially investigated as a homicide, however once Mr. Jackson was identified the detective was able to conclude the investigation had no evidence of foul play.